Back to College as a Sophmore

I listened to the familiar rhythm of the train as it sped further and further from my home.  It had been a good summer vacation; a special summer to visit and work.  I felt healthy and ready to go to work on the basketball court and in the classrooms.  I was looking forward to all the activity and friends.  Little did I realize the potential for change that lay ahead of me.

  

Sutton Hall was buzzing with all the new residents.  My room mates, Tom Plant and Les Grear were back, but George Kelb had chosen to join his buddies in another room.  It was good to see my two roomies and catch up on what was going on in their lives.  Les was out for football again this season.  Tom was looking ahead to his graduation in 1954.  He needed to make certain he would have all the requirements fulfilled with the credits he had transferred in from his other college experience or courses that would be offered at EWC in the correct sequence.  It sounded complicated and I wondered if I would have much trouble.  I wasn’t transferring in credits from another college

The hustle and bustle of college start-up wasn’t as hectic this year.  I was used to the process and my schedule was laid out, so I had time to look into other details such as my job this year.  I was told it would be in the field house, but not the locker room.  I was grateful.  The head janitor would lay out my duties when I saw him.

I headed to the field house to confirm my job assignment for fall quarter.  Red was there and we had a short visit.  He indicated there were a number of new players on the varsity and not all from the B squad.  He wanted me to spend time in the gym on basics such as free throws and dribbling the ball.  He knew my weaknesses.  He also mentioned a picture session was set for later in the month.  He would let me know.  He complemented me on my physical shape and said there wouldn’t be a need for the sweat box this year.  I was pleased the hard summers work had paid off. 

My new job was vacuuming the swimming pool and keeping the deck clean.  I couldn’t believe I had such a great job.  In contrast to cleaning the locker room during muddy season this job was a snap.  There was one catch.  Once each quarter the furnace that heated all the water in the building had to be cleaned.  To do this the furnace was shut down and a brush shaped like a large bottle brush was run through each of several dozen pipes in the boiler.  When in operation heated air was forced through these pipes.  Over time soot would build up and cause inefficiency in the system.  The person using the long handled brush would end up covered with soot.  This was only required once each quarter, so I could handle that.

*Taken from "Which Road Should I Follow?, Volume 1, Growing up in the country", an autobiography by Edwin K. Hill.